Dhrtarasta said:
O Sanjaya, in Kurukshetra, the field of righteousness, what did they-my people and Pandavas who had gathered together, eager for battle, do?
1-1
Sanjaya said:
Then, King Duryadhana, having seen the army of Pandavas drawn up in military array went to his teacher and spoke the following words:
1-2
O Preceptor, see this mighty army of the sons of Pandu arrayed by the son of Drupada, your wise pupil.
1-3
Here are the heroes and great archers who are equal to Bhima and Arjuna in battle like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada, warriors ranking as Maharathas.
1-4
Dhrutaketu, Cekitana and the king of kasi, Purujit and Kuntibhoja, most powerful among men.
1-5
Yudhamanyu the brave, Uttamauja the heroic, Abhimanyu the son of Subhadra, the sons of Draupadi-all doubtless great warriors.
1-6
O best of Brahmins, know those chief leaders of my army, whom I shall now mention, for your information.
1-7
Of course, yourself and Bhishma, Karna and Krupa, victorious in the battle. Asvatthama and Vikarna and Bhurisravas, the son of Somadatta.
1-8
And many other heroes, who have given up their lives for my sake, all armed with diverse weapons and experts in war.
1-9
Inadequate appears the army of ours, protected by Bhishma, while the army of Pandavas, Protected by Bhima appears adequate.
1-10
Therefore let all of you standing firmly in your respective positions and vantage-points guard mainly Bhishma.
1-11
To cheer him, the aged and brave Kuru. The grandsire (Bhishma) of great valor uttered a war cry, like the roar of a lion and blew his conch.
1-12
Then conches, kettle drums, tabors, drums, trumpets, were sounded simultaneously, their sound was tremendously tumultuous.
1-13
Then seated in magnificent chariot, yoked to white horses, Sri Krishna and Arjuns blew their own divine conches.
1-14
Hrisikesha blew His Panchajanya, Dhananjaya his Devadatta, Vrkodara of awe inspiring deeds, his mighty conch Paundra.
1-15
King Yudisthira, son of Kunti, blew his conch Anantavijaya, Nakula and Sahadeva blew Sughosha and Manipuspaka.
1-16
And the king of Kasi, the excellent archer and Sikhandi, Dhrstadyumna, the great Maharatha Virata and invincible Satyaki followed suit.
1-17
O King, Drupada and the sons of Drupadi and the mighty armed son of Subhadra, all blew their conches separately and individually.
1-18
That terrible and tumultuous sound echoing through heaven and earth, rent the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra.
1-19
Then seeing the sons of Dhritarastra drawn up in battle array, ready to shoot their missiles, Arjuna, the son of Pandu, whose chariot had a monkey in its banner, took up his bow, O king, and Spoke to Hrishikesha.
1-20
Arjuna said:
O Achyuta, place my chariot at the center between the two armies.
1-21
That I may survey those standing, eager for battle and find out with whom I have to fight in the war about to commence.
1-22
Let me also look at those who have here gathered ready to fight, just to please the evil minded son of Dhritarastra.
1-23
Sanjaya said:
Thus addressed by Gudakesa ( conqueror of sleep -Arjuna), O Dhritarastra, Hrishikesha, having placed the best of chariots at the center between the two armies in full view of Bhishma, Drona and all rulers of earth said "O Parthta, behold these Kurus drawn up in battle array".
1-24,25
There, Arjuna saw standing in both the armies fathers, uncles, teachers, maternal uncles, cousins, sons, grandsons, fathers-in-law and comrades, practically all the relations arrayed in battle. Deeply moved by great compassion he spoke thus saddened by the sight.
1-26,27
Arjuna said:
Seeing these my kinsmen, O Krishna arrayed and eager to fight, my limbs quail and my mouth gets parched. My body shakes and my hairs stand on end.
1-28,29
Gondiva, bow slips from my hand and my skin burns all over. I am not able even to stand up, my mind is whirling, as it were.
1-30
I see around me evil omens, O Keshava, I see no good in killing my kinsmen in battle.
1-31
O Krishna, I do not long for victory, kingdom or pleasure. Of what use is a kingdom to us, or enjoyment or even life.
1-32
Those for whose sake we desire to secure kingdom, enjoyments and pleasures, all stand here for battle, having staked and being prepared to risk their lives and riches.
1-33
Teachers, fathers, sons and also grand-fathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other kinsmen.
1-34
O Madhusudhana, even for the sake of kingship of the three worlds, I do not wish to kill these, even though they attempt to kill me, much less for this earth?
1-35
In slaying the sons of Dhrtarastra, O Janardana, what good will come to us? Only sin will overtake us in slaying these, though they be reprobates and confirmed criminals.
1-36
Therefore it does not behoove us to kill the sons of Dhratarastra, our kinsmen, for how can we be happy, O Madhava, after killing our own kith and kin ?
1-37
Although they do not realize, being over powered by greed, the evil arising from the destruction of the family and the heinousness of being treacherous to friends, which must surely compel us to turn away from such a sinful venture, especially when we perceive the evils arising from the destruction of families, O Janardhana.
1-38,39
If families perish, traditional family observances become extinct and when Dharma is lost , vice predominates and overpowers the entire family or clan.
1-40
Thus, evil-smitten, O Krishna, the family women become corrupt and when women get corrupt, O Varsneya, mixture of castes arises.
1-41
Such mixtures leads certainly to hell those who have destroyed the family and also the family itself; for their ancestors fall deprived of rice balls and libations of water.
1-42
On account of these misdeeds of the authors of slayers of the family, leading to the mixture of casts, the age long caste traditions and family customs become extinct.
1-43
Of such who have lost their family tradition, we have heard, O Janardhana, their abode is surely in hell.
1-44
Alas! strange indeed we are, we are engaged in committing great sin, we from greed for the pleasures of kingdom, have been getting ready to kill our own kinsmen.
1-45
For more beneficial would it be for me if the sons of Dhrtarastra, weapons in hand, should slay me, unarmed and unresisting.
1-46
Snajaya said:
Having thus spoken on the battle field, Arjuna sat down on his seat in the chariot, casting away his bow and arrow, his mind overpowered by grief.
1-47
Thus ends the first chapter of Bhagavad Gita entitled Arjuna's Despondency
(Arjunavisada Yoga)
